Well, girls, I finally saw it, "Girl, Interrupted," that lovely 199 film starring Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall (as Georgina), Brittany Murphy, in her unforgettable performance as Daisy Randone, Whoopi Goldberg, as Val, Mary Kay Place, as the bitch, Mrs. Barbara Gilcrest, and KaDee Strickland, as daughter Bonnie Gilcrest, a young Jared Leto as sort of boyfriend Tyler, Jeffrey Tambor, as Dr. Potts, Vanessa Redgrave (before she became everybody's favorite hag!!!!!!!!!!) as Dr.Wick, and Bruce Altman as sleaze Professor Gilcrest. I mean, who knew this film had such a huge and distinguished cast??????????
The other thing to note is that, while it was made in the Nineties, it takes place three decades earlier, in the Sixties, when things were just about to turn. But not enough for Sussana Kaysen and her friends, who were still living under the era when the prescribed program for women went like this--
wife, elementary school teacher, nurse, secretary, librarian (still a stereotype today), and, if you went to college, it did not matter what you majored in, really, so long as you got your MRS degree. As far back as the fall of 1973, during my freshman year at Seton Hall University, I can recall this one girl I met in my Math For Liberal Arts Students class--Judy Rothrock, pretty, petite, doe eyed, a real finishing school type--whom you could tell just by looking at that she was there for one reason only--to land a husband. I understand the more astute straight guys on campus avoided her. I wonder what became not only of her, but of these type of women???????? Did the marriages last?????????? And do these types still abound on campuses today???????
I am surprised no one having seen this film has come up to me, and said I am Georgina, (Clea DuVall) not because I am a pathological liar (I am not) but due to my life long obsession with the movie "The Wizard Of Oz," which I share with Georgina. I see myself more, as Lisa ,(Angelina Jolie) because, the older I get, the less I am willing to suffer fools gladly. I have come close to being hospitalized myself, so I hope the day never comes, where I am hauled off, like Angelina. And I have known others who were.
So the film resonates. From this time forth, I will never be able to hear Skeeter Davis' song from 1962, "End Of The World," which was prompted by her father's death, and is used tragically in reference to the character Daisy Randone, whose tragedy here, in a macabre way, mirrors aspects of that of the actress who played her, the enormously talented Brittany Murphy.
I cried real tears at the end of this film. For films dealing with mental illness issues, I would put this one up there with "Splendor In The Grass."
It is more than a female 'Cuckoo's Nest,' darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Which is why I cannot decide to fly East or West!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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